COURTNEY HULCER – THE ULTIMATE ALL-AROUND PLAYER
It is probably a safe assumption that very few players in collegiate women's soccer history hold their program's career assists record while also owning three conference Defensive Player of the Year awards. Former Billiken Courtney Hulcer (2003-06) is one such player.
 
Hulcer amassed a school-record 37 assists during a career that spanned, at the time, the winningest four-year period in SLU women's soccer history (60-20-6 overall, 30-6-1 in conference play). She also stands atop the Billiken career charts in game-winning assists (21) and starts (85) and is tied for first in games, playing in all 86 of the Bills' contests during her career. Additionally, Hulcer is fourth in shots (203) and eighth in points (57) in Saint Louis annals.
 
Embracing an impressive soccer pedigree – her father was an All-American at SLU, and her great-grandfather is in the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame – Hulcer arrived in Midtown following a stellar prep career at St. Joseph's Academy. Her performance as a freshman gave a hint of what was to come as she recorded eight assists, five of them game-winners, and one goal. Hulcer was selected to the Conference USA All-Freshman team.
 
The 2004 season was Saint Louis' last campaign in C-USA, and Hulcer and the Billikens went out in style. The sophomore midfielder tallied nine assists (five game-winners) and three goals (two game-winners) to help SLU collect a then-school-record 15 wins (15-6-1) and capture the C-USA regular-season title (9-1). Hulcer was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Conference, Soccer Buzz (first team) and NSCAA (second team) All-Region, and Soccer Buzz second-team All-America.
 
The Billikens introduced themselves to the Atlantic 10 Conference in spectacular fashion in 2005. Hulcer was a major cog in a machine that again established the school victories record (16-5-0, including 8-0-0 in conference play), won the A-10 regular-season and tournament crowns, and reached the second round in the program's first NCAA Championship appearance. She set school season records for assists (15) and game-winning assists (seven) and netted two goals (one GWG). Hulcer claimed A-10 Defensive Player of the Year plaudits, was tabbed first-team All-Conference, and earned NSCAA (first team) and Soccer Buzz (second team) All-Region acclaim.
 
In her senior season, Hulcer scored a career-high four goals and added five assists (four GWA) to help the Billikens (15-4-2, 7-2-0 A-10) win a second consecutive A-10 Championship and again advance to the NCAA Championship second round. She also displayed versatility, switching from the midfield to the backline for the final nine games of the season.
 
When postseason laurels were handed out, however, it didn't matter what position Hulcer patrolled. She became the first SLU women's soccer player to garner All-America honors in two different seasons – making the Soccer Buzz fourth team – as well as one of only two Billikens to earn All-Conference first-team recognition three times (that list has expanded to four). Hulcer collected a third consecutive conference Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz All-Region first teams.
 
Hulcer also enjoyed a distinguished academic career. She is one of only two Saint Louis University student-athletes, joining basketball's Scott Highmark, to be selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America first team twice (2005, 2006); she also is Billiken women's soccer's only first-team choice and only multiple-year honoree. In addition, Hulcer was a two-time A-10 All-Academic pick and was named the league's 2006 Scholar Athlete of the Year for women's soccer.
 
Hulcer was selected to the Billikens' All-Decade team in 2005 and was inducted into the Billiken Hall of Fame in 2015.